Air Peace Denies Airlifting Passenger With Coronavirus To Kano

Earlier on Tuesday, a viral post on Twitter by Ali Grema said a pilot with Air Peace, who arrived in Kano from Lagos, refused to allow passengers disembark after suspecting that a passenger on the flight had Coronavirus.

by Saharareporters, New York Mar 24, 2020

Air Peace has refuted claims that it airlifted a passenger suspected of having Coronavirus from Lagos to Kano.

Earlier on Tuesday, a viral post on Twitter by Ali Grema said a pilot with Air Peace, who arrived in Kano from Lagos, refused to allow passengers disembark after suspecting that a passenger on the flight had Coronavirus.

Happening now! #AirPeace pilot in Kano from Lagos refusing to open flight until @NCDCgov come to quarrantine suspected #Covid19 passenger and others... welldone Pilot! NCDC act fast, 20 million Kano inhabitants with Corona will be a disaster if care is not taken pic.twitter.com/aEkHiivtjm

Reacting to the incident, Chief Operating Officer of Air Peace, Toyin Olajide, said that the delay was caused by a 13-year-old child, who became sick due to flight phobia and vomited inside the aircraft.

He said, “We did not carry any passenger that had COVID-19.

"What happened was that a 13-year-old boy was travelling by air for the first time. He was with his parents. While airborne, he started vomiting. The pilot promptly called Port Health even when it was obvious that he was suffering from flight phobia.

“The captain also informed the control tower about the incident but some people made a video of it and started circulating false information about what really happened.

“When the aircraft landed, it was delayed for 50 minutes so that Port Health officials could examine the boy.

"They checked his temperature and certified him okay. They also disinfected the aircraft and we boarded passengers to Abuja."

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